Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-08-11
INSPECTOR svRmEs.
A Interesting Chat WITH Now forks
rOm0uD ThloC-CatAhor.

A Interesting Chat With Now Yoekca
Famo1s ThlsG-CAtAhoe.
He leaned earelessly against the iron
railing on the Twenty-eighth street
side Of the Gtlsey House. just in the
shadow OF the hotel He was dressed
in nest business suit of mixed goods,
wore white derby of the low-crowned
style. smoked his cigar with evident
relish. and had the general air Of a
weil-to-do man about town who knew
the good things Of this world. and en-
joyed them. A stranger would have
taken him for ono of the guests of the
Gilsey-but he was not-he was
simply Inspector Byrnes. and what he
was doing there. standing quietly in
the darkness. the Graphic man did not
care to ask. Yet as the big world drift
ed by along Broadway and under the
glare of the electric lights. showing
every man and woman's countenance
to the watchful. placid-faced man in
the shadows. the inspector dropped in.
to one of his pleasant chatty moods.
and between the wreaths of his cigar
smoke told something of the life that
surrounds him every day.
mo one knows how much watchful-
ness and continual care are required to
keep up successfully with the patience.
energy. talent and new methods of the
thieves of New York. Their system of
work against which We provide to-day
is replaced tomorrow by newer and
more intricate scheme which has been
evolved from the inventive brain of
some talented crook. The community
looks to us not only for the capture
and conviction of the thieves. but in q
large part expects us to prevent crime.
To do this in any successful way en-
tails upon me and my officers a
thorough and continuous knowledge
of thieves and malefactors, their Gus
toms, manner Of life, habits and assO.
ciates. their special aptitudes and pc
culianties, and their general haunts
and lounging places. How do we at
tain to this knowledge? In the simplest
way possibility unceasing daily as
ISOLATION with these thieves and law
breakers of high and low degree. 1t
sounds strange, doesn't it, and yet it
is true that there is not day of my
life but I spend a couple of hours
among that class Of people. l re.
member how such a statement as
now make was received by Theodore
Roosevelt when he had me before his
investigation committee. He asked
me what considered
the qualifications of a good
detective, and l enumerated youth,
energy. courage. enterprise. and an
acquaintance with thieves and their
methods. What" said Mr.. Roosevelt.
Do you consider intimacy with the
criminal classes one of the essential
qualifications Of your officers?' 1 re-
piled that l most certainly did, and
added that there was no day that did
not pass some of my time among
thieves. .Doyou include to-day?' said
Mr.. Roosevelt. I do. answered, for,
looking into this big audience. l can
see several men have helped to send
to Sing Sing for various crimes!' The
explanation seemed to satisfy the
young lawmaker, and he asked me no
further on that point. Yet the neces-
sity of this acquaintance with thieves
ought to be self-evident If you love
your watch and come to me to aid i'm
finding it for you, l do not go to Will
lam NJ. Evarts, nor to Archbishop
CoTrigan, nor to Rev. Howard Crosby
to discover who stole it. must 90
among thieves, and to be able to do
this and get you back your watch must
have the knowledge l speak about.
Why don't take a vacation? Well, I'll
tell. Every time l go out of town,
even for a few hours, feel an irresist.
lille impulse to gel back. It seems to |
me might be needed. Go TO Europep |
No. no! Ny dear fellow. if ever they
get me outside of land they will have |
to put handouts on me.-M y